The actor has twice been nominated for an Oscar, for his films “Gladiator” and “Walk The Line,” and is rumored to be in the running to receive a nod at the 2013 ceremony for his role in critically-acclaimed new movie “The Master.”

However, he appeared to have blown his chances of another nomination when he apparently criticized the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the revered awards, telling Interview magazine, “I think it’s total, utter bull[bleep], and I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t believe in it. … Pitting people against each other … it’s the stupidest thing in the whole world. … I never want to have that experience again.”

Phoenix has now clarified his comments, insisting he didn’t mean to put the Academy Awards in such a negative light because his previous nominations gave him a massive career boost.

He tells the Sydney Morning Herald, “You know what it’s like, you sit and you bull[bleep] (in an interview) for a couple of hours. You just miss so much of what someone says when it’s written down. I guess I sound like a [bleep].

“I didn’t even know that I was in a position to do something that would cost me something. But I know that first of all, I wouldn’t have the career that I have if it weren’t for the Oscars.

“I haven’t been in a lot of movies that have made a lot of money. … And getting nominated for a movie has probably helped my career tremendously. … It’s not like I [bleep] hate the Oscars. … It doesn’t occupy my time to where I can build up hate. What I was reacting to was sometimes the reverence that we have about these things. I don’t want to revere it.”